


Three Wishes

by goodmythicalshipping



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Aladdin!AU, Animal Transformation, Arguing, Arranged Marriage, Disney Parody, Genie!Link, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Jealousy, M/M, Mild Language, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Royalty, Street Rat!Rhett, Wish Fulfillment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-10-27 11:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20759516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodmythicalshipping/pseuds/goodmythicalshipping
Summary: In Pre-Islamic Arabia, a poor street rat, Rhett, struggles to survive in an unforgiving and discriminatory world... that is, until he comes across a rather mythical-looking lamp. Having concealed a deep secret his whole life, his entire world is soon changed forever by a certain bespectacled genie.Aladdin!AU, inspired by @rhettandlink'sAladdin-themed Instagram post on May 24, 2019.





	1. Legend of the Lamp

The sweltering sun beamed down harshly on the sands of Agrabah. Villagers from near and far gathered to trade and haggle goods, which have long been recognized as some of the best in the land. The rays of heat scorch the back of Rhett’s exposed neck, making the freckles smattered across it even more apparent. He gazes upon the civilians beneath him from atop a dilapidated, stone fortress in the center of the busy bazaar, searching for his next victim in the crowd. After a few moments more, he finally spotted his target: an elderly man selling fresh loaves of bread. Hungry, Rhett licked his dry lips, preparing himself for an ambush. Carefully lowering himself off the rooftop to reach the canopy beneath him, he hears a high-pitched whimper above him. Looking up, his canine companion stares at him doe-eyed.

“Hey, Barbara,” Rhett coos, reaching up to grab her. “How about we getcha some food, huh?”

The tall man secured the pup in a large pocket inside of his vest, and continued his descent. Leaping unnoticed from awning to awning like a phantom, he finally reaches his destination and gingerly crouches on top of the vendor’s booth, hovering over him.

“Ok, Barbara,” Rhett whispers, scooping her out from his vest. “Time to do yer thing!”

Laying down on top of the tent, Rhett gently lowers Barbara upside-down to silently meet the back of the old vendor’s turban, remaining unseen.

“Fresh bread!” the vendor calls out to bazaar patrons, bread loaf in hand. “Fresh bread for sale! Baked with the finest grains in the Arabian Peninsula! Fresh bread!”

Finding his opening, Rhett suddenly swings the pooch forward, who bites into the loaf of bread in the old man’s hand, releasing it from his grasp.

“Hey!” the vendor calls out, looking above him to find the culprit.

Rhett quickly pulls her up and into his arms, springing up from his horizontal position and peering over the edge of the tent to face the old man beneath him.

“Thanks for the free meal!” Rhett taunts him, as he swiftly leaps onto the awning adjacent to him.

“Hey, stop! Thief! Help! Someone stop that man, he’s a thief!” the vendor cries out, attracting the attention of a group of guards armed with large swords. Instantly detecting Rhett in the sea of people, they charge after him, pushing shoppers out of the way to reach him. Rhett looks back, catching sight of the herd of guards on his tail.

“Uh-oh,” Rhett mutters, increasing his pace.

“Stop, thief!” roars one of the guards. “I'll have those hands as a trophy, street rat!”

Leaping down from the last awning in his path and rounding a corner to hide, food in one hand and Barbara in the other, Rhett peers out to look behind him.

“All this for a dang loaf of bread?” he jokes, chuckling to himself. He then runs up the stairs of another abandoned building, jumping out of an open window and landing on two ropes strung between buildings with drying clothes on them. He skied down them, collecting bits and pieces of clothing on him as he goes. Finally, he nears the end of the rope when a woman reaches out and slams the shutters closed. Barbara jumps just in time to land safely on the roofing next to it, but Rhett slams into the shutters and falls to the street, his fall being broken by numerous awnings and the pile of clothes around him. He pulls off the top layer of clothes, and is about to enjoy his bread when the guards catch him at the end of the alley.

“There he is!” exclaims one guard, rallying others behind him.

“You’re not getting away that easy!” another yells at him, inching closer as Rhett, who takes one of the sheets in the pile and wraps it around him as a disguise. He rushes over to a group of women near him, who giggle at him as he fans himself dramatically.

“Mornin’, ladies,” he says in his best feminine voice.

“Getting into trouble a little early today, aren't we Rhett?” one of the women teases.

“Nah,” Rhett replied coolly. “Y’know yer only in trouble if ya get cau-“

He is cut off by one of the guards yanking him back by his shoulder, turning him to face him.

“I’m in trouble,” Rhett finishes.

“Now we finish this,” the guard sneers, pulling out his blade. Just in time, Barbara jumps from the roof and pounces onto the guard’s head, covering his eyes with his own turban.

“Nice one, Barbara!” Rhett cheers.

With the other guards close behind, Rhett grabs the dog and runs off in the other direction as a long chase ensues. The pair manages to lose them, making a quick turn and sending the guards hurdling into a large haystack, leaving them time to escape. They take off into the nearest alleyway, and plop down onto a couple of wooden crates to enjoy their stolen goods.

“And now, my ‘lil partner in crime, we feast!” Rhett boasts, breaking the bread loaf in half. Barbara eats her half happily just as Rhett notices two young, poor children rummaging through the garbage for their own meal. The girl notices them, hiding herself behind the bin. Steadily, Rhett takes his piece of bread and approaches the children who cower at the tall man squatting down to meet them.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he reassures them, handing them the piece of bread. “Go ahead, you take it.”

The children graciously take the bread. In the distance, Rhett hears music and people cheering. The children follow him to find the source of the noise, soon locating a crowd of onlookers. Easily peering over them due to his tall stature, he sees a prince riding through the streets on his noble steed. Just as he tries to move closer for a better look, the two children race out into the street in front of the startled horse before Rhett can stop them.

“Move, you dirty brats!” he shouts at them, attempting to attack them with his whip before Rhett sprints out and catches it with his arm.

“Whoa, hey!” Rhett interrupts. “Man, if I was as rich as you, I might afford some manners!”

“Ha!” the prince scoffs, kicking him into a puddle of mud. “That’ll show you some manners!”

As the prince treads forward, Rhett calls back out at him from the ground.

“Hey, Barbara, lookit that! S’rare to see a horse with two asses, don’tcha think?”

As the crowd howled, the prince stops in his tracks and turns his head back at him, seething.

“Listen here, street rat. You are a nobody. You were born a street rat, and you will die a street rat. The only ones who will miss you are the rodents left gnawing on your bones.”

As the prince passes through the gates to the palace, Rhett charges at him, only to be cut off by the doors slamming in his face.

“I’m _not_ nobody!” Rhett yells and pounds at the doors before admitting defeat, slumping and turning to meet the pup at his feet. “C’mon, Barbara. Let’s go home,” he sighs.

Rhett picks her up, and dolefully hikes back to their shared abode.

\----------  
Exhausted, Rhett collapses face first into his cot after tucking in Barbara for the night. The only light in the room came from a crescent moon in the distance. Letting out a low groan, he mulls over the day’s events in his head. How dare that prince call him a “nobody”? As if he himself weren’t the nobody, putting on a triumphant spectacle to impress a bunch of royals who probably could care less if he dropped dead at their feet!

Either way, he didn’t appreciate being cut into so deeply. The worst part about it was… the prince was right. His wardrobe was nothing but mere rags, and he survived by taking shelter in the slums of Agrabah and stealing food from innocent, hardworking market vendors, with no real home to return to. Maybe he really was a nobody… Defeated, Rhett rolled over on the cot in preparation for sleep when he felt something sharp underneath his mattress.

“Ouch!” he whispered sharply, as to not wake Barbara. “What the heck is that?”

Searching under the mattress, he pulls out what appears to be a… lamp? How did a lamp make its way under his mattress? And how had he never noticed it there before? Examining the lamp, Rhett noticed its golden exterior was coated in dirt, naturally from being hidden under his bed all this time. He licked his thumb, and began wiping the lamp’s outer shell to clean it off.

Once it was clean, he took a closer look at its etched details. It truly was a sight to see, with Rhett admiring its intricacy. He was suddenly shaken out of his admiration by the lamp vibrating in his hands, causing him to drop it onto the wooden floor. He let out a yelp as he scooted backwards, waking Barbara up in the process who began barking loudly.

“Shhh, no! Barbara, shhh,” Rhett hushed her, afraid someone would find them. As the lamp continued to shake, azure smoke began spilling out of its long spout, filling the air and causing Rhett to cough violently. More smoke escaped the golden vessel, beginning to take form as a long, ominous yawn bellowed from it. Rhett’s watery eyes widened with fear as he watched the figure morph into a half-human shape, with Barbara continuing to growl. At last, the figure made a loud snapping sound, sending steam in every direction of the small room.

As Rhett shielded his eyes, the smoke cleared out through the open window and the figure revealed itself, still yawning loudly. Rhett moved his hands, staring up at the strange being. In front of him levitated a shirtless, blue man with perfectly coiffed hair and… are those glasses? His bottom half remained a long tail of smoke, as he began to speak.

“Well, s’about time!” the figure exclaimed, reaching his arms up to stretch. “Man, 10,000 years in that tiny ‘lil lamp’ll really give ya a crick in the neck!” He reaches down toward Rhett, effortlessly lifting him up by his vest and standing him up on his feet.

“Anyway,” the figure continued, cracking his back. “Nice to finally be outta there! Say, what’s yer name, fella?”

“Uh,” Rhett stuttered in disbelief. “R-Rhett?”

Was this really happening or was he having a fever dream? He must’ve hit his head harder than he thought during that fall earlier...

“Rhett!” the figure repeats excitedly, rainbowing his hands in the air to spell out his name, which lit up in sparkling letters.

“Whoa! How’d ya do that?!” Rhett questioned, astonished.

“It’s my party trick,” the figure responded, wiggling his eyebrows and waving the letters away. “Boy, yer a _lot_ taller than my last master! Either that or I really gotta invest in some stilts.”

Rhett just continued to stare at him, dumbfounded. The figure rolled his eyes at this.

“Yer still not gettin’ it, are ya big guy?” the figure asked bluntly. Rhett shook his head, still bugged-eyed.

“You. Are. My. _Master!_” the figure explained, punching each word as he poked Rhett in the chest. “And you rubbed my lamp. So lemme ask ya: what d’ya reckon that makes me?”

“A… genie?” Rhett answered shyly.

“Ding ding ding, we got a winner, folks!” the figure cheered, as a bell rang and small fireworks went off behind him. “Tell ‘em what he’s won!” He suddenly lowers his vocal register to imitate that of a TV announcer, using a beam of moonlight coming from the window as his spotlight for drama.

“Well, O’ Powerful One, today our contestant Rhett has won THREE MAGICAL WISHES! These wishes can be used to fulfill any of your wildest desires at any given time! Restrictions and rules may apply, see genie for details,” the genie narrates, then returning to his regular tone. “Thanks for that! What an amazing prize, right?”

“So, three wishes? Anything I want?” Rhett queried excitedly.

“Slow yer roll, compadre. Not exactly anything,” the genie pointed out. “Didn’t ya hear the announcer? There are rules in play to ensure that ya don’t mess this up. I only get to play fairy godparent once every so often, y’know!”

“Such as?” Rhett frowned.

“Rule numero uno: I can’t kill anyone,” the genie lists, his head suddenly falling off and onto the floor to demonstrate, making Rhett scream. “Oh, calm down already, s’just a gag! Honestly, it’s like you’ve never met a spirit before!”

“Sorry,” Rhett apologized. “We don’t usually get a lot of mythical beasts like yourself around here.”

“I find ‘beast’ rather harrowing, but I’ll take ‘mythical’,” he continues, placing his head back on. “Now, rule numero dos: I can’t make anyone fall in love with you. Remember: I’m a genie, not Cupid. If yer looking for him, you’ll have to sail across the Meditteranean. And lastly, rule numero tres: I can’t bring anyone back from the dead. A) That’s ribald and B) It’s unethical. I’ll emphasize again: genie, not reanimator.” The genie then floated directly toward Rhett’s face, noses almost touching.

“Any questions? No? Great! So what’ll it be, gentle giant Rhett?” the genie requested, unmoving.

“Alright, genie. I’ll take y’up on yer offer,” Rhett answered finally, blushing slightly as his proximity. Rhett had to admit: for someone who wasn’t human, the genie was quite alluring. “But just one question first: d’ya have a name? I would like to believe that one of yer previous masters gave ya one, unless I’m mistaken.”

“Ah, yes, I’ve had a plethora of different monikers over the past few millennia,” he replied. “Let’s see: Genie, Gene, Genie-us… m’also quite partial to titles such as ‘O’ Powerful One,’ if that wasn’t apparent. But if we’re speakin’ in terms of chronology, my last master decided to call me ‘Link.’”

“Well then,” Rhett mused. “‘Link’ it is. Link, this is my accomplice, Barbara.”

“And what a precious accomplice she is!” Link cooed, petting her, who did not respond to Link’s touch. “I’ll have y’know I’m great with animals.”

“That’s probably because she can’t feel ya,” Rhett noted, waving his own arm right through Link’s. “You’re pretty transparent, physically speakin’.”

“Har har,” Link said flatly. “My question still stands. I’m waiting.”

Rhett stood there thinking for a moment, contemplating what to wish for first. He could just take the easy way out, which would be wishing to get out of the slums and live a life of luxury in the city. However, he remembered his reasons for ending up in the slums in the first place, which brought him much remorse. This feeling was only intensified by the rude prince’s comments earlier that day, a glaring reminder of how useless he really was. He could wish to get rid of the prince, but Link just told him he can’t kill anyone and Rhett was not that cynical.

He had come here to escape and become somebody great, and ended up as a nobody anyway. Thus, to prove the awful prince and all the others who looked down upon him wrong, it was then he vowed to wish for true greatness. But where to start? He then thought, if he can’t beat them…

“Join them,” Rhett mumbled out loud.

“Join who?” Link chimed, snapping Rhett out of his daze. “Yer dog in not being able to feel? An odd request, I’ll admit, but if that’s what ya wan-”

“No!” Rhett interrupted. “I think I need to sleep on this.”

“Understood. I mean, I did just pop out of a gilded teapot after an extended period of eternal darkness to give you, a random stranger, three wishes that could potentially bear life-changing consequences,” Link deliberated. “Very well, then I shall wait for ya to awaken tomorrow morning, master.”

Rhett nodded, returning to his cot as Barbara snuggled up to him. He kept his eyes on Link, who just… stood there watching him.

“Are you just gonna watch me all night?” he asked the genie.

“Well, here’s the thing: genies don’t actually sleep, because we can’t,” Link revealed. “Even if we could, I just spent the last decamillenium trapped inside of what is essentially a fancy gravy boat, so I’m not really looking to rest. Don’t mind me! I’ll keep m’self busy and make sure nothing bad happens to ya.”

Bewildered, Rhett gave him another slight nod before resting his head back on the cot and attempting to drift off to sleep.

“G’night, Link,” he whispers, eyes already shut.

“G’night, master.”


	2. To Be Free

The neon glow of daybreak shone through the window and made vibrant contact with Rhett’s shut eyelids, forcing them open as the blonde man awoke. Gradually regaining his consciousness, he shifted his gaze to see the blue man once again leaning a mere inches from his face. Rhett shot up, startled.

“Please tell me y’weren’t watchin’ me the whole night,” Rhett carped.

“Fear not, master,” Link replied calmly. “I got bored of watchin’ ya within the first 10 minutes of you fallin’ asleep, and spent the rest of the night countin’ the number of tiles on the floor and lost count at around 10,402. I just wanted to see yer reaction upon wakin’ up.”

“That must’a been quite boring.” Rhett yawned.

“Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures,” he answered. “How’d ya sleep?”

“Fine, I suppose. Could be better given our surroundings.”

“Well, we could change that right now! Have ya decided what you’d like yer first wish to be?”

Rhett regrouped himself, making sure that what he was about to wish for was what he truly wanted. He came to the conclusion that it would be better than his current state in every way possible. Not only would he live a prosperous life, but he would finally receive the respect he had long deserved. Thus…

“Link, I’ve decided. I wish that you would make me a prince!” Rhett requested.

“Ah, a fine choice!” Link affirmed, cracking his knuckles in preparation to grant his wish. “A very cliché request, but nonetheless fine!”

Rhett rolled his eyes again; this genie had some sense of humor…

“I’ll just need to get yer measurements for the sake of… erm,” Link choked out, as if he was embarrassed to even ask, a gesture which proved horribly endearing to the mortal man. “Suitability… get it? ‘Suit’-ability? Because I’m turnin’ ya into royalty? Ha, I crack myself up! You should really be callin’ me ‘Aristophanes’!”

Link then materialized a full-length mirror and measuring tape out of nowhere. “Now, are ya ready for your transformation, master?”

“Yes, Link. Make me a prince,” Rhett consented.

“Let’s see here,” Link started, already measuring up the tall man. “Just over 200 centimeters in height plus an extra five for the hair, not includin’ the beard… long arms with a shorter torso, average shoe size, lookin’ to be approximately 80 kilograms in weight, definite autumn complexion… that should about do it! I’ve got just the thing!”

He floats behind the mirror and comes back with a stunning silk teal robe with sophisticated, woven gold accents, a pristine white turban with matching trousers, and gold slippers. In one swift motion, Link dresses Rhett in the garments, leaving him to gawk at himself in the mirror.

“Wow…” Rhett expressed in awe. He looked incredible!

“Link, I’m thoroughly impressed! I love it!” he continued, modeling the garment in the mirror as Link beamed at him, blushing a deeper shade of cobalt at the mortal’s enthusiasm.

“Glad you like it, master,” Link finally replied. “But y’know what would go great with this ensemble? I’ve got the perfect finishin’ touch. Follow me!”

Link grabbed Rhett’s sleeve and pulled him down the stairs of the deteriorated building, coaxing Barbara to follow them. As soon as they reached the ground level, the genie quickly pulled Rhett behind the building where no one would see them.

“I thought you said ya had an accessory for me, what’re we doin’ down here?” Rhett inquired.

“You could say it’s an accessory. Depends on your definition of the word, really,” Link replied, eyeing the dog at their feet. “Say, Rhett: how about we get ya’a nice set of wheels? Surely the people of Agrabah would be amazed to see a fine prince like yourself being escorted into the palace on the appropriate chariot, no?”

“I suppose you’re right. What did’ya have in mind?”

“Not what… who!” Link beckoned, and with that he scooped Barbara up into his gangly arms and floated her above him, surrounding her with his magic as she barked.

“Hey, what’re ya doin’?!” Rhett demanded.

“Don’t fret, she shan’t be harmed! But certainly a tiny dog is not suitable for entrance into the palace, as you so desire. She’ll need to serve as something far more sumptuous in order fer’ya to be taken seriously! Now let’s see here…”

What was really just under a minute felt like an eternity for Rhett as Link morphed his fluffy, white dog into a myriad of different animals right before his eyes. Shifting her from a donkey to a stallion to a camel to even a reindeer in a matter of seconds, Link finally settled on the beast he was looking for all along.

“Presto!” Link concluded, turning to Rhett. “Well, whaddya think?”

Rhett didn’t know what to say, so he just observed the white elephant in the room… literally. In front of him stood what was formerly Barbara, now a massive, ivory, almost four-meter-tall African bush elephant.

“She’s a beaut, ain’t she?” Link continued, admiring his handiwork while also ignoring Rhett’s nettled eyes. “If y’don’t like it, I can always change her back to normal after you’ve made yer way into the palace, but I figured y’might want to keep her like this for now as an added bonus to make a good impression on the royals.”

Rhett sighed, admitting defeat. As much as he wasn’t too keen on his new behemothic companion, Link was right. The easiest way to impress the royals would be to make a big spectacle out of his entrance, and arriving on a gargantuan elephant would do just the trick. At least Barbara wasn’t in any noticeable pain…

“Very well, genie. I’ll take it, for now,” Rhett finally responded. “So what’s yer plan?”

“Well, is your plan to just ride into the palace? If so, I think y’might have a harder time getting people to buy into your charade on yer own,” Link advised. “Perhaps ya should have some reinforcements!”

Just then, Link multiplied himself into an army of about 30 human men, all dressed in royal servant garb to match Rhett’s own. They all lined up behind them, ready to march through the palace gates.

“Huh, lookit that,” Rhett reacted, albeit a little weirded out by the clones’ blank smiles. “Well, let’s not waste any time then!”

At last, he mounted Barbara and the brigade trekked toward the palace entrance, gaining much curious and dazzled attention from citizens around them. The voyage went on for some time, long enough for the genie and his master to get better associated. As the troop followed closely behind them, Rhett and Link continued their prolonged conversation.

“So he just kicked ya into the dirt?” Link asked. “That doesn’t seem too princely to me.”

“Believe me, he was anythin’ but princely,” Rhett replied. “I hope that by the time we arrive at the palace, the royals will have already kicked him out and spit in his face.”

“I’d like to see that,” Link professed. “I hope the princess spits at him the hardest out of all of ‘em. Word on the street is she’s got venomous saliva, and it’s especially effective on her many bumblin’ suitors.”

“Suitors?” Rhett quavered, momentarily stopping in his tracks. He felt his stomach turn at this. Once they reached the palace, was he expected to attempt to woo the princess? He had never met her before, let alone seen her in person, which made him very uneasy. Rhett had essentially hoped to join the royals to reach their level of greatness, not marry into it.

“Have you been livin’ under a rock?” Link laughed. “Any prince who steps foot into that palace is presumably a suitor for the princess, who is required by law to wed in order to inherit the throne. And since yer a prince now, that includes you.”

Link’s voice trembled at that last word, puzzling Rhett. Was Link nervous? He stared at the beryl spirit, analyzing his perfect bone structure and seemingly crestfallen expression. This made Rhett feel inexplicably contrite and he silently hoped that the genie’s current mental state matched his own, as Rhett wasn’t very warmed to the idea of pursuing the princess, and for more reasons than he’d like to admit in that moment…

“Link, I’d like to ask ya something. Not a wish, but a general wringer,” he asked, watching as Link adorably perked up at the question.

“Of course, master,” Link chirped.

“I was just wonderin’. If you were in my position,” Rhett continued. “…what would you wish for?”

It was in that moment that Link’s blithe demeanor dropped to that of profound rigor, much to the concern of the mortal man. Rhett hoped he hadn’t accidentally offended him, but his concern washed over at the sight of Link’s fond smirk that stretched across his ultramarine cheeks.

“Wow, no one’s ever asked me that before… I’m sort of at a loss for words, t’be frank. Well…,” Link rambled, his countenance once again switching to something far more lugubrious and wistful. “There is… one thing.”

“And that is?” Rhett asked cautiously.

“It’s a bit out of the question, I’ll admit. And maybe selfish…”

“It can’t be that unreasonable,” Rhett reassured him.

“Freedom,” Link confessed finally.

“What d’ya mean?”

“Face it, Rhett: I’m a prisoner. Always have been, always will be. I only exist to fulfill other people’s wishes; it’s a vicious cycle. Once I’ve pacified one master, I’m at the mercy of the next. The only way I could truly grant my own wish of being free is if my master were to grant it for me. It’s a horrible existence that I’ve simply learned to accept.”

As he listened to the genie’s words, Rhett’s heart felt as if it had been shattered into a thousand fragments. His soul ached for Link, and although they lived in completely different circumstances, he felt a deep connection to Link’s story. The altruistic side of him desired to help the genie in any way he could, so he pushed further.

“If you were to have yer wish of freedom granted, what d’ya think would happen to ya?” he inquired.

“Theoretically, I should become a human like you,” Link answered.

“Well, that just settles it then.”

“Settles what, master?” Link asked, snapping his head back up at Rhett.

“I vow to use my last wish to grant yours,” Rhett offered, which received a hearty guffaw from the genie.

“Y’can’t be serious,” Link chuckled in disbelief. “I couldn’t ask ya to do that for me. I mean, I’m just some strange blue man that popped out of a tin can in yer bedroom. Y’hardly even know me!”

“Well, maybe I want to,” Rhett admitted flirtatiously, both of them now blushing and averting their gazes to hide their ridiculous smiles.

“Y’really are very unlike my previous masters. They weren’t nearly as generous,” Link declared belatedly, face still tinged with indigo.

“Hopefully I won’t be yer master much longer,” Rhett winked, the two of them simpering the entire rest of the way to the palace.

———

After a semi-long journey to the more affluent side of Agrabah, they were allowed through the gates, leaving the cheers and hollers of the civilians behind them.

The palace was magnificent, to say the very least. Surrounding them were a number of shining, domed buildings, paradise gardens, and a sizable courtyard containing several ornamental pillars and a large, stone fountain. Rhett’s jaw went slack at the marvel of such a place, with Link beaming at his awestruck visage.

“Like it? I think you’d settle in quite nicely over there next to that mosque,” Link pointed out.

Their party approached the larger mansion in the center of the palace, which they presumed to be the sultan’s primary domain. Upon dismounting Barbara, Rhett was greeted by the sultan himself at the entrance.

“Welcome to the palace! You must be here for the princess!” the sultan saluted, happily dragging Rhett inside before he could protest, leaving Link and the others outside. As the short, older sultan talked his ear off, Rhett turned back to the perturbed genie to give him a reassuring nod. He was soon led into a garden in the rear of the structure.

Sat in the garden on the side of another fountain was a slender, young girl with fair skin and long, strawberry blonde hair. She stroked the water with one hand while petting her pet tiger with the other, lazily gazing up as Rhett and the sultan approached her.

“Prince Rhett, I would like for you to meet my lovely daughter, Princess Stevie,” the sultan addressed, the young girl standing up.

“H-how d’ya do?” Rhett stuttered. The princess didn’t respond, instead looking off to the side disinterestedly.

“Stevie, why don’t you show Prince Rhett around the palace to get better acquainted?” the sultan asserted. “Supper shall be prepared in just a few hours, I expect you to meet me in the banquet hall. For now, I will leave you to your own devices. Farewell for now!”

As the sultan skipped off back into the building, Princess Stevie sat back down on the fountain to turned her attention to her pet tiger once more, leaving Rhett not knowing what to do next. Should he try to talk to her? Leave her alone? It didn’t seem like she wanted to talk to him anyway, but he came here to gain insight on how to achieve greatness and who better to ask than the Princess of Agrabah herself?

Rhett opened his mouth, but was immediately cut off.

“Don’t worry, I know you’re not here to win my hand in marriage,” Princess Stevie said flatly. How did she know that? Was it that obvious that he had no intentions of courting her?

“I’m sorry?” Rhett prompted, not sure what else to say in that instance.

“It’s obvious that you aren’t like other princes who have visited our kingdom, as you aren’t nearly as arrogant or forceful,” she elucidated. “I believe it’s a fair assumption to believe you have other intentions being here than charming me.”

Not sensing any hostility from the tall man, she patted the side of the fountain beside her to signal for him to join her, to which he obliged. The tiger under her palms quickly growled at him, causing Rhett to spring out of his seat. Princess Stevie shushed the large feline, calming it down.

“It’s alright, Enzo is typically not the best with strangers upon first meeting, but will get used to your scent quickly,” she explained to the frightened man.

“I’m not sure how much better that makes me feel,” Rhett admitted, tittering nervously and sitting back down, this time much more tentatively.

“I apologize for my father’s forwardness,” Stevie acknowledged. “He is rather… brazen, when it comes to introducing new suitors. Part of me believes he thinks he’ll perish before he sees me wedded off, and thus is all the more eager to expedite the process.”

“It sounds to me like yer not looking to wed anyone anytime soon,” Rhett suggested.

“Not anyone. Just a prince,” Stevie finished, adding emphasis to the last word. After a brief moment of confusion, Rhett began to understand and widened his eyes at the princess in surprise.

“Oh,” Rhett gulped. “I see.”

He was quick to adjust his tone once he noticed the ashamed look on the young girl’s face.

“Not that I’m against that!” he interjected, watching as she let out a sigh of relief. “It’s just rather unforeseen, but yer honesty is refreshing.”

“I’m alleviated to know that you’re not as vehement about how I choose to live as the majority of the populace of Agrabah,” she confided. “I know my father truly wants the best for me, but it is also apparent to me that we don’t want the same thing. As much as I would prefer to be forthright with him, you must understand that who I’ve chosen to be with is frowned upon as both a royal and a woman in this land. Still, I strongly argue that marriages should not be based on arrangement, but instead the purest form of love.”

Rhett sympathized with the princess, correlating his life story to her own.

“Well, it looks as if you and I have more common desires that we both initially thought,” he finally divulged, giving her a coy glimpse that revealed what he needed her to know as discreetly as possible. As soon as she caught on, she smiled widely.

“Indeed,” she concluded, resting a compassionate hand on his shoulder, feeling repose in their shared dilemma. The two continued to talk for some time as she gave him a tour around the palace grounds, with an unseen Link following them from a distance.


	3. On a Dark Night

After touring the entirety of the palace, Rhett and Princess Stevie had gotten to know each other a good deal and were able to savor each other’s company, albeit not in a romantic way like her restless father had hoped. Link, on the other hand, had trailed far behind them the whole time, watching their actions with leering eyes. He was too out of earshot to hear anything they were saying, but couldn’t help but feel a little envious whenever they would smile or laugh at what the other one said. He carried Barbara, now turned back into her canine form, as the three of them approached the banquet hall. Once again forced to remain hidden, Link watched the pair enter the hall from a high-up window.

“I take it you enjoyed your trip around the palace grounds,” the sultan greeted them once again. “Come, let us begin our feast!”

The three of them sat down to enjoy their four-course meal, with the two younger guests essentially listening to the elder man ramble on for the next three hours straight. Rhett found it troubling how enthusiastic the sultan was to discuss wedding plans, given he had only met him hours prior and it clearly wasn’t what Princess Stevie, nor he himself, wanted. Despite their chagrined expressions, Link grew more jealous with each passing minute as he peeped down on his master dining with the royals, which admittedly stemmed from his desire to just be near the mortal man over reveling in their luxuries.

“Way to go, Genie-us,” Link whispered angrily to himself. “You were supposed to grant his wishes, not devise yer own selfish ones!”

He couldn’t help it: Rhett looked striking in his silk ensemble, which complimented the colors of his handsome, angular face. Certainly, he believed, out of all of his masters up to this point, Rhett was the most beautiful. However, Link remembered Rhett’s statement from hours prior about setting him free, which now left a sour taste in his mouth as he watched him indulge in the array of expensive delicacies before him. The genie was sure a combination of temporal fate and his master’s own greed would keep them apart in the end…

As the trio finished their meal, the sultan guided them to the front of the mansion once more. Link floated down with Barbara to eavesdrop on them, once again hiding himself behind a nearby column.

“Stevie, please escort Prince Rhett to his living quarters,” he commanded. “In the morning, we shall begin preparing for the upcoming blessed wedding ceremony!”

Rhett kept a calm, unphased demeanor, despite his inner aversion, while Stevie made no effort in concealing her contorted face. She huffed as she took Rhett’s hand and led him to his bedroom, much to the dismay of Link, whose pools of cerulean beaded at the sight. It was late by the time the duo finally arrived at the doors of the living quarters.

“Well, I guess this is g’night?” Rhett asked meekly, knowing that they were both not looking forward to the following day.

“I suppose,” Stevie replied morosely, keeping her head down. Rhett felt incredibly guilty: the two of them had only known each other for a few short hours, but he felt such a strong connection to the young girl who was facing the same predicament. He would do anything in that moment to rid her of all her woes, as well as his own, but it was the lamentable law of the land that she marry a prince, although he was placated knowing it would be him and not some egotistical and abusive raja.

“Stevie, I’d like to think I’m pretty good at readin’ people’s eyes,” Rhett suggested, causing the girl to lift her head. “Just know that no matter what happens, I promise ya that I will do everythin’ in my power to keep you safe and happy as possible in these adverse circumstances.”

She then gave him a soft smile and sympathetic embrace.

“Same to you, Prince Rhett,” she reciprocated. “Now I believe it’s best that you tend to other matters at this time.”

In the hours they had communed, he had nearly forgotten about his remaining two wishes. However, he was appetent to be in the company of his genie companion again and thus, bid her a good night as he stepped inside the room.

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice began. “Looks like someone had a good time.”

Rhett snickered before answering. “I wouldn’t say good, I guess just more… satiated.”

“I can’t relate,” Link retorted, crossing his translucent arms. “Genies don’t eat much. Anyway, have ya thought about yer second wish, your majesty?”

The genie bowed to him in a dramatically condescending way, much to Rhett’s confusion. The mortal man chose to brush it off, too tired from the day’s events to ponder the odd gesture.

“Not exactly,” Rhett yawned, stretching his long arms upward. “I’ve been tourin’ the palace grounds all day, and haven’t had much time to think about it in all honesty.”

“Uh-huh,” Link replied disinterestedly, whipping out an imaginary fan out of thin air. “Too busy indulgin’ in extravagant wonders, I take it? I don’t blame you, s’not every day you’re served tabbouleh on a gold platter.”

What’s his problem?, Rhett thought to himself. “Um, actually, most of the feast was taken up by her father discussin’ wedding plan-”

“Well, isn’t that just MARVELOUS?,” Link barked, cutting him off. “We’ve got a royal wedding approachin’! How prodigious! I’ll have t’send a messenger to the local couturier to inquire about a suit in my size. I hope he can accommodate my ghost tail! Wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Rhett just stood there, unsure of what to say. Was Link upset with him? It wasn’t like Rhett wanted to marry the princess, nor did she want to marry him. This was simply the easiest way to escape the tragedy he had been living for so many years, desperately clinging to some sort of importance in the world. Still, he felt an incredible ache of culpability each time he remembered the princess’ hidden prayers, and part of him considered that Link too did not wish for them to wed for unknown reasons. Although Rhett had his hopes…

“What, dog got yer tongue?” Link goaded, pointing to Barbara, who was currently rolling around on the floor. “Anyway, like I said: got a second wish? I don’t got all night.”

“What’s gotten into you?!” Rhett finally reacted, surprising Link. “Did I do somethin’ wrong? It’s not like I wished to marry the princess!”

“Oh, don’t be so modest, master! As if you weren’t aware that marriage might come with the package of becomin’ royalty!,” Link rebutted, growing angrier. “Am I wrong to assume that this was what ya wanted all along, and I was just along for the ride?”

“Yes! All I was lookin’ for was to achieve greatness for once in my meager life! I’m sick of bein’ a nobody!”

“You can be great in other ways than obtainin’ riches, master! Perhaps you may consider other outlets in which y’may exalt yer greatness, such as considerin’ the feelings of others around you!”

“Don’tcha think I’ve considered the princess’ feelings throughout this whole thing?!” Rhett shouted. “I’ve heard ‘er out, and for your information, it doesn’t sound like she’s excited about this arrangement either!”

“_I’m not talking about the princess!_,” Link yelled loudly, scaring both Rhett and Barbara. “You promised me one thing, Rhett! D’ya recall what that one thing was? I’ll give ya’a hint! It starts with ‘FREE’ and ends with ‘DOM’!”

The syllables lit up in fiery, neon lights before Rhett’s emerald eyes, causing him to stumble backwards. After taking a moment to process what Link had accused him of, he spoke up again softly.

“…y’really think I’d take back my promise?”

The grief-stricken look on his bearded face was almost enough to turn Link’s entire mood around, that is before he remembered why he was upset with him in the first place.

“Rhett, in the short amount of time I’ve been in yer possession, all I’ve seen ya do is ask for a big, shiny royal title,” Link berated him. “What am I supposed to think? M’surprised you haven’t blown yer last two wishes on five million dirham and for me to be yer lifelong slave yet!”

“M’not that selfish of a man, Link!” Rhett argued, standing himself back up. “In fact, the one thing I truly want is somethin’ so unattainable that I’m not even sure a wish could grant it!”

“Oh yeah, and what is that, yer highness?” Link scoffed.

Suddenly, Rhett turned his gaze toward the floor and sprouted a sullen expression, to which Link stiffened his guard.

“…acceptance,” the mortal said finally.

“Acceptance? From who, the citizens of Agrabah? I think you’ve already impressed ‘em by becomin’ a prin-”

“Not just them. Everyone,” Rhett stated bluntly, interrupting him. “S’been that way my whole life. I’ve had to keep one of the most important parts of me a secret to avoid serious consequences.”

Link at last ceased his hostility after hearing this, his anger transferring to worried interest.

“What I want and what everyone else wants in terms of my love and happiness don’t align,” the bearded man continued. “What I want is seen as disgraceful to my family, who banished me from their home in equal parts disgust and an attempt to save my life from authorities. Should they discover the truth about me, I could be executed. Thus, I’ve had no choice but to protect myself by hidin’ from the public eye, which has steered me to live a life of poverty.” He then surveyed Link carefully, reading him for any sign that what he was about to say next wouldn’t disgust him as well.

“I don’t wish to marry the princess, Link… nor any maiden, for that matter.”

Link floated there in shock as his ability to speak vanished. This whole time, Rhett was… Link wasn’t sure if he should be mortified at his own previous actions or thrilled by his confession. Most importantly, he felt like cradling the tall, somber man who remained on the ground in sympathy, which was exactly what he subconsciously found himself doing after a long moment of silence.

Upon noticing Link’s arms around him, Rhett was unable to contain his tears and wept softly into the genie’s neck, hugging him back. As Link brushed the man’s hair with his palm, his heart throbbed even more intensely, but he decided not to push his boundaries in light of Rhett potentially reacting in a negative way, given his current emotional state.

It felt like hours had passed before the pair separated, Rhett’s olive eyes glassy and bloodshot from crying.

“I’m, I just-” he began, his voice fluttering.

“I’m sorry,” Link interrupted. “I shouldn’t have accused you of such awful things or questioned your sincerity. I’ve just had some real nasty masters in the past, and made the false assumption that y’might be the same. I know now that I was wrong.”

“No, I’m… happy,” Rhett countered, confusing Link until he spoke again after a beat. “I’m… happy there’s someone who finally accepts me.”

———

Rhett lay awake for hours after his and Link’s exchange, staring at the marble wall. Fortunately, Link did not notice, as Rhett had his back turned to him and the genie had taken to counting stars in the night sky. Many thoughts wracked his brain: what was he supposed to do? Not only would he be forgoing his own happiness by marrying the princess, but he would be preventing her from attaining true happiness as well. As for Link… things were quickly becoming more “complicated” between them, meaning Rhett had to act fast if he were to fix any of this with his two remaining wishes.

It wasn’t fair. Why weren’t people just more accepting? It would certainly make this whole ordeal far less complex, but this was the world they lived in. Whatever he wished for next had to be followed by the promise of setting Link free… which for Rhett, to be frank, was another heartbreak on its own. He knew Link couldn’t simply grant a wish that involved someone falling in love with another person, so he had to be clever.

If he wished to go back to being a civilian, Princess Stevie would still have to marry a complete stranger. If he wished for her to marry who she wanted, he would still be forced to hide his true self from those around him and live a life of rich misery.

If only there was a way in which they could both be happy, or in which the universe would allow them both to live carefree and without-

…

That was it. Rhett knew then what he had to do.


	4. A Whole New World

Rhett didn’t sleep much, for he was far too eager for what the day would hold. Cracking open his drowsy eyes, he saw Link’s face floating in its typical place of about six inches in front of his own.

“Wakey, wakey, master!” he bellowed, reaching down to lift the tall man up from his horizontal position in bed, a phenomenon Rhett wasn’t used to since he normally slept on the hard floor.

“Nnngh, don’t wanna,” Rhett mumbled sleepily, eyelids fluttering half-open as the genie stood him up.

“Well, y’know if it were up t’me, I’da let you sleep in,” Link explained. “But m’pretty sure some guard came around and knocked on yer door this morning for ya, so I at least let you rest until the daylight arose.”

“Well, that’s mighty kind of ya,” Rhett quipped, letting out a big yawn shortly after. “Guess that means I gotta start my long day of wedding plannin’, huh?”

“Yeah… guess so,” Link replied funereally. Rhett frowned at the genie’s solemn tone, but soon began getting ready. The quicker he was ready, the quicker he could make his remaining wishes. He decided last night that he wanted to wait until he met up with the princess to make them.

As soon as Rhett was ready to go, Link waved goodbye to him.

“I guess I’ll see ya when ya get back?” he asked sepulchrally.

“Not a chance,” Rhett vetoed. “Yer comin’ with me.”

“What?! Are you nuts?” Link clamored surprisedly. “News flash, beard-o: to refresh yer memory, I’m not a human. You might be able to walk around the palace grounds all hunky-dory, but me? I’m practically a ghost! Should anyone see me, that would be a major violation of the Great Genie Code! The other genies would exile me from the Society of Magic Beings for the rest of eternity!”

“Oh, really? Do you even know any other genies?”

“...is that important?” Link shifted, embarrassed that his fib backfired.

“Yes,” Rhett laughed. “You’ll be fine, I promise. Besides, there’s someone I’d like ya to meet.”

“Fine, Rhett,” he answered. “But if anyone else catches sight of me, I’m deductin’ one of yer wishes.”

“I think y’might regret that,” Rhett smiled as they left the room. “I’ve got a plan.”

\---------

They arrived at high noon to meet the princess in the same garden where her and Rhett had first met. She sat there peacefully, though with an air of abhorrence at what was to come in her near future, despite Rhett’s reassurance. She stroked her tiger, Enzo, lovingly as she noticed Rhett approach her.

“Good morning, Prince Rhett,” she greeted him. “I trust you slept well?”

“Indeed, princess,” he answered. “Tell me, princess: are we alone? I have somethin’ I’d been meanin’ to tell you about.”

“Well, I’ll inform you that if it is that you wish to go back on your word of not wanting to marry, then I will be forced to ignore you,” she teased, earning a soft smile from the tall man.

“No, of course not, princess. I mean… no offence.”

“None taken. Now what is it?” she asked curiously.

“Well, that would depend on what yer answer was to my previous question,” Rhett bantered.

Stevie whipped her head around, searching for any sign of life besides them nearby. Once the coast was clear, she turned back to him and nodded, allowing Rhett to open his satchel, revealing a compressed, blue genie inside.

“Stevie, I’d like ya t’meet-”

“OH, MY GOODNESS!” Stevie remarked, nearly falling backwards into the fountain before Rhett caught her arm, administering a growl from Enzo in defense. She quickly regained her composure to silence the large cat, and peered into the bag to find Link’s grinning face staring back at her.

“Well, I mean, I wasn’t expectin’ the warmest of welcomes, but I ain’t that ugly, am I?” Link vocalized, causing Rhett’s face to burn wildly with affection.

“No, you certainly aren’t,” Rhett replied as a reflex, growing pinker as he realized what he had just admitted. “Um, Princess, as I was sayin’, I’d like ya t’meet the solution to all of our problems. This is Link.”

Link accordioned himself out of the satchel and onto the ground, propping himself upright to extend a long, ghostly hand toward the bewildered girl in front of him.

“How d’ya do, Princess Stevie? It’s an honor t’meet yer acquaintance,” he said calmly, bowing to her. She hesitated before curtsying in response.

“Um, the same to you, Sir… um, and what title do you respond to?”

“Oh, me?” Link pointed to himself, preparing himself to ignite his trusty imaginary fireworks. “Well, I am none other than the GREAT GENIE, THE O’ POWERFUL ONE-”

“LINK! Did you forget where we are?!” Rhett stopped him, reeling the overzealous genie back in as he cleared his throat.

“Ahem, my apologies Princess. It’s not often m’introduced to other humans than my master,” Link explained coyly, drawing a small giggle from her.

“A genie, you say?” Stevie inquired, raising an eyebrow. “And what tricks do you perform under that designation, Sir Link?”

“Anythin’ you want! Well, as long as it’s within the rules of conduct.”

“The truth is, Stevie, that, well,” Rhett admitted. “...m’not actually a prince. Link is the whole reason I’m even here. He turned me into one.”

“I believe you think too lowly of me at times, Prince Rhett,” Stevie grinned. “...for I had already known that fact.”

“How?!” Rhett proclaimed. Was she in on his secret this whole time?

“Well, y’ain’t exactly Prince Charming there, beanstalk,” Link chimed in, prompting Rhett to elbow him in the side, which ended up just phasing through the genie’s translucent skin. “Plus, I’m sure the lady here has seen many a prince come and go through these gates, and you were probably an exception.”

“I would agree with that sentiment,” Stevie confirmed, still smiling.

“Well, regardless,” Rhett said flatly, getting back on topic. “I have a plan to get us what we really want from this experience.”

He then turned to look Link in the eyes. “All of us.” Link turned a deep sapphire at his intense gaze, as Stevie perked up.

“Very well. What is your plan?”

“Well, in short, it appears this world we live in is one filled with prejudice,” Rhett recited. “One driven by beliefs without basis and harsh punishment toward anyone who dares defy it. I come from a place where a mere bias is symbolism for life and death. I don’t have the choice to live freely, as I was born. Nor do any of us. And thus, I’d like to reinvent this narrow-minded world into one of harmony and liberty for all, not just m’self. Doing so on my own accord would do nothin’ to protect the ones I love and who have supported my life’s journey thus far.”

It was at this moment that Rhett took Link’s luminous hands into his own for the first time, staring deeply into his cyan oculi with determination.

“If no one is opposed, I’d like to wish to live a humble life in a world without discrimination or inequitable rules, no matter how one lives, loves or exists in it. Justice for all… can y’make that happen, Link?”

With a single crystalline tear treading down his cheek, Link curled his own fingers around the mortal man’s as the princess looked on, getting emotional herself.

“Y’realize that if y’go through with this, y’can’t be a prince anymore, right?” Link choked out half-jokingly, emitting a chuckle from Rhett.

“Yes. S’alright, Link, I’d prefer to live happily ever after over living luxuriously.”

And with that, Link nodded excitedly and released Rhett’s hands, floating up high to perform a spellbinding dance.

“One tall order, comin’ up!” Link hollered over the swift winds encircling him. As he continued to spin in midair, a bright light omitted from his body and flashed explosively, causing the mortals beneath him to shield themselves. As the genie gradually descended back to earth, they uncovered their eyes to look at him, observing that nothing around them had changed.

“...Did… did it work?” Stevie whispered after a beat, cautiously peering around.

“I don’t know,” Rhett replied in a similar fashion, raising his eyebrows to the beaming genie in front of them.

“What’s say we go find out?” Link suggested.

\---------

The three of them went through the back entrance of the palace to approach the sultan, who sat peacefully on his throne. He did not see them at first, but quickly turned around as he heard the clack of the mortals’ shoes on the tile floors.

“Hello, father. I was simply wonderin-” Stevie began before he cut her off, as usual.

“Ah, Stevie! Just the person I wanted to see, and I see you’ve brought Rhett!” he exclaimed excitedly. All three of them frowned at his enthusiasm… had the wish not worked?

“Stevie, come closer. I wanted to discuss something important with you,” he continued. Stevie slowly moved toward her father, momentarily abandoning the tall man and the immortal one who hid in his satchel.

“Stevie,” the sultan began again, reaching his wrinkled hands out to meet hers, which she accepted. “I have been thinking very deeply about your marriage arrangements going forward…”

Stevie tried her best to prevent the tears that were forming behind her eyes from falling, but she was unable to keep one from sliding down her porcelain cheek. The sultan ignored this and continued.

“...and I think it would be in your best interest, as well as mine, if you held the ability to choose the person you wish to marry.”

She didn’t know what to think, let alone do once those words escaped her father’s mouth. All she could do was let the salty drops wildly cascade from her eyes, her vision soon becoming blurred. The young princess was hardly cognizant as she clutched desperately onto the sultan in overwhelming gratefulness.

“There is too much at risk in arranging your marriage to a prince of a neighboring land, not just for the sake of our kingdom, but your safety, happiness and human rights,” he continued. “I only want what’s best for you, and now I realize what is best is what you desire, not myself. I’d like to think the same for all who inhabit our land.”

“T-thank you, father,” Stevie stuttered, unable to speak fluidly as she sobbed into his shirt. The sultan wrapped his fragile arms around the crying girl, flashing Rhett a small smile in what the tall man could only translate as sympathy. He couldn’t be bothered by his silent apology, however, for he now felt a staggering wave of alleviation that his wish had come true. He ultimately decided to give the sultan and his daughter some privacy, quietly slipping out the front gate into seclusion.

The second he was completely alone, Link burst out of his satchel and tackled the mortal man onto the ground in glee, laughing passionately. In response, Rhett’s face lit up instantly, finally coming to terms that he was now free to live the life he had always wanted.

However, there was still one person who needed to be set free.

“Link,” he stated after a long minute of hearty laughter, to which the genie popped his head up at him adorably.

“We did it, master! The world as we know it is at peace, and we saved the princess just like ya wanted!”

“We sure did. Couldn’t have done it without you, Link,” Rhett thanked him, to which the genie turned his head away sheepishly to attempt to hide his jocund expression.

“Aw, shucks. It was nothin’ really,” Link spluttered, just as Rhett put a hand to his jaw to guide his face back to him.

“I think there’s only one thing left t’do now,” he addressed in a lowered tone, once again taking one of the genie’s hands in his own, lacing their fingers.

“Y’cant tell me you want me to go already!” Link joshed. “I mean, where’s a soon-to-be-former genie to go around these parts? There’s no guarantee I’ll survive out there on my own! M’not built like you, y’know. I also don’t got no animal sidekick or anything.”

“Who said ya have t’be alone?” Rhett lilted coolly, the two of them now fully aware of the sentimental moment they were sharing. Link couldn’t help the wide smirk that budded on his face.

“Well then… what’re ya waitin’ for, master? Say the magic words.”

“Link,” Rhett said dramatically, taking a step back. “For my final wish, I wish to set you free.”

What happened next was a series of rapid events, as a whirlwind of smoke and luster transformed Link from his mythical genie state to a mortal man. Rhett watched in awe as his royal blue skin faded to a lively tan color. His phantasmal tail morphed into human limbs, and his eyes, which had remained a bright sky blue, widened as his newly-formed feet touched the ground for the first time. Once he finished converting forms, he wobbled a bit, getting accustomed to having to balance on two legs. He shot his face back to Rhett, about to speak when he suddenly crouched down and began coughing violently.

“Link, what’s the matter?!” Rhett questioned, rushing to his side as Link let out a large gasp.

“What- what is this sensation?! I’ve, hnngh, n-never felt this before... there’s so, ha- much wind…”

“Wind where?” Rhett prodded.

“Ha, in m-my… nose… inside of me,” he puffed.

After hearing this, Rhett began laughing vociferously, pressing his forehead into Link’s neck to hide his amused visage.

“W-what’s so funny?!” Link erupted.

“That’s called breathing, Link,” Rhett finally uttered, beaming at the other man. “That wind is air. It’s somethin’ we humans have t’do to live.”

“Oh,” Link muttered, humiliated by his revelation. He was quickly shaken out of it as Rhett helped him up by his arms and brought him into his own, leaning closely into his face for a change.

“This better?” Rhett said gently, glancing his eyes down to his lips. Feeling himself relax to his touch, Link simpered back.

“Better than I ever could’ve imagined,” he responded, and with that, they finally met their lips in a tender kiss. Soon losing themselves in the moment, they moved together in perfect harmony, with Link slinking his hands up to caress the back of Rhett’s head and pulling him even closer. It was as if their lips were built to fit the other’s, both of their bodies tingling with pleasure. Link felt the warmth of Rhett’s lips on his own, a new feeling that he wanted to savor for the rest of his mortal life. They stood there taking each other in for what felt like an eternity, neither wanting to let go.

Alas, Link was not yet fully acquainted with his recently-acquired lungs, and thus stopped to breathe. Resting their heads together and gazing into each other’s eyes, Link regained his composure and piped up after a long while.

“I’ve been meanin’ to ask you somethin’, Rhett,” he queried. “If ya hadn’t used yer last wish to set me free… what would’ya have wished for?”

Smiling amorously at the shorter man, Rhett once again captured Link’s lips in another sweet kiss before answering.

“I already got my wish.”


End file.
